From: neilmcarr@aol.com (NeilMCarr)
Subject: Shogun/Samurai Sword Variant Rules

Shogun Variants:

I was wondering if anyone has considered adding certain variant elements to
Shogun/Samurai Swords.  My gaming group over the years have experimented with a
number of variants to a degree of success.  I was wondering if people would
look at what we have tried out and give any thoughts on the mertis of these
variant rules.  If you try them out let me know how the game went....

1.  Mounted Units:  This is one element that many players I know wish were
included in the game.  Assuming that you can get the right minis for the game,
or just put up with counters, how would people simulate them in the game?  Here
were some of the things that we have tried:
          A.  A hand to hand Samurai unit that attacks at 6 and costs 1 koku
per unit. They get to move 2 spaces per turn when acting as provincial forces.
          B.  A Samurai unit that attacks at 5 in both the missile and melee
phases of combat, cost is 1 per unit.

2.  Additional Fortification level:  Add on an additional level of
fortification, a kind of Super Fortress.  The Super Fortress gives the
defending player 8 Ronin.

3.  Roads:  Along the lines of Conquest of the Empire, players can spend 2 koku
and create 2 road links between three provinces.  Any linked roads allow for
fluid movement to occur between any of the linked provinces, that is, it only
costs 1 movement point to move between any linked spaces.  You cannot attack a
province via road movement, thus all provincial units attacking another
province must have previously occupied the adjacent province for a turn. 
Roads cannot be destroyed.

4.  Ships and Ports:  This rule would supplement or replace the abstract way in
which naval elements are played out in the game.  Here are a couple of ways
that we have tried it:
          A.  Ports:  In build phase, players may purchase ports and place them
down in a province that borders on the sea.  The port allows for another sea
passage link                  to be created with an province that already has a
sea passage link.
          B.  Get rid of the sea passages and divide the sea area into
sections.  Provinces bordering on a particular sea area can create fleets.  A
fleet may move 2 sea                     spaces and may carry 1 Army and 1
provincial force worth of units.  Land Units cannot stay on a fleet at the end
of a turn, but must be placed in a province                    before the end
of the turn.  Cost 2 and is a part of the build phase.  Fleets can attack each
other at strength 4 missile.  Any units aboard a fleet that is hit are         
       destroyed.  Land units cannot attack in sea battles.  

5.  Cannon Units:  Attack Missile strength 5.  Non-Samurai unit.  Cost 1 unit
per koku.  Special siege rules:  When attacking a Castle/Fortress before combat
all cannons may fire 1 round of combat against the defender.       

Neil Carr
neilmcarr@aol.com
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